Love, Save the Empty
by melodyofbrokenwings
Summary: In the land of Z, in the barren part of the East, lives Sakura Mikan, a girl who lives with her grandpa alone. One day she leaves to trail the dangerous forest in look for the well to get water when she meets three distinct kids. Not good with summaries. Mikan x Natsume pairing, hint of Ruka x Hotaru


I don't know why I wrote this. I might or might not finish it. If I get enough favorites or reviews then I might continue.

I do not claim this manga/snime Gakuen Alice or characters.

_italicized - thoughts/emphasise  
__**bold italicized - dramatic effect thoughts  
**__**underlined bold itlacized - lyrics**_

Song is by Fujita Maiko, not me.

* * *

Unmei no Hito - My Fated Person

There's a legend from the woods located behind the large village called Central located in the deepest valley in the small country of Z. Alice forest surrounds the inner circle of the of the valley, only large hills of fields on the barriers and five villages dispersed throughout all roads leading to Central with one main road that leads out of the valley. Legend says that when the towns were established, people with special abilities started to dwell in the forests watching and started to prey on the humans. People's children have disappeared and after search parties were sent into the forest, they all returned sad and scared; some were even burned. Village leaders have created stones for the children to carry with them when they leave so they can be protected from whatever lurks out there.

When the beautiful priestess Himemiya, who the villagers of Central call Hi-sama, founded the village she forbid the village children to enter without meeting her first at the large hall; the Hanahime-Den. She holds a power to put up barriers and with the power she can protect them. Along side her are the Hana Hime's: Yamanochi Shizune and Miyazono Yuri, nicknamed after the flowers "Kakitsubata" (Iris Flower) and "Young Bamboo". With these top three priestesses the village remains safe and peaceful.

Journey to the outskirts of the valley and resting there is a shack that appears to be a one room with a clothesline tied from a wooden pole to a large sakura blossom tree. Since many people do not journey to the Eastern part of the valley; no one knows of the old man and the young sixteen year old girl who live there.

It was a beautiful Autumn morning, the young lady exits her home with a giant wooden pail. Two weeks ago she discovered a path that leads into the giant forest that encircles the main villages, finding out that her grandfather had a well with an underground spring that he hasn't been able to reach since he has become old and can barely move. The house had a large lake behind them but the water is for Mikan to take a bath in. So she took it as her duty to go retrieve water and bring it back for him to drink and cook her food with it. In her simple short light red kimono with russet leaves, the sleeves cut off, and wooden clogs, she looked back into the house.

"I'm leaving grandpa." The old man stood at the door his wrinkles creasing his face when he smiled at her.

"Come back safe" He wrapped his arms around the small girl and gave her a tight hug, lightly kissing her forehead. "Mikan." Smiling she cradled the bucket in her arms.

"Yes ojii-san. Ittekimasu!" With her auburn hair in two long pigtails, she retreated down the path avoiding small pebbles and twigs. She is very clumsy and whimsical so she began avoiding even the smallest of objects so she wouldn't trip. So far, so good.

The forest started crying as the wind passed through it. The darkness didn't look inviting to the girl when she brought the bucket closer to her and started humming to herself. As she had calculated, the well was about a ten minute walk there, but knowing herself well she knows that she will stop to smell the wildflowers that rest in a field right next to it. She always wondered why they were even there. It is odd for flowers to be in a forest where there is no sunlight or even the slightest chance of rain or shine since the canopy is too thick. Mikan believed they were the legendary "Alice Hana" that her grandfather told her. He told her that her mother left her in his care to return to the flowers and continue taking care of them. But she knew better. Her mother was trying to protect her. But from what?

Mikan smiled when she thought of her mother. Her mother left her with her grandfather when she was six, and she never met her father, but she knows that they are out there somewhere and they are watching over her.

Stepping on rocks, she crossed the brook that separated the light side of the forest to the dark side. Also from her grandfather she learned that children were kidnapped or never appeared back home after they entered. But since she's already been here once before, whoever or whatever was taking the kids she came to believe that it will not attack a girl who has been estranged from the pleasure of people and the "town life". They had everything they needed, fruits from the trees, vegetables from the garden, and meat from animals that Mikan traps or hunts. Although she's air headed she is a great archer that even a champion of archery couldn't stand a chance against her. Today, even though she's going alone in the terrifying darkness, she would not need it if it's only to retrieve water.

"Finally, I made it." Mikan proceeded to the stonewell that stood in the middle of the clearing. The greenish-brown vines snaked itself out of the well and draped along the forest ground. Placing the pail on the ground Mikan peered into it and yelled her name. It echoed back to her. She chuckled.

"I'll get the water after I check on the flowers!" She turned on her heel to the left and walked past a large Kobushi Magnolia which was pretty rare and placed in a deciduous forest among tall sturdy trees like an oak or elm tree. That, if not the flowers, was odd. The unnatural plants seemed to glow bright for the dark area she was in. Stepping over a large rock, she grinned at the sight of the large scale of flowers. They looked similar to Lavendar flowers that grows near her house during this time of year. The only difference was the small emitting glow of yellow and the flowers were an unusual color of green. Mandarin Orange is her favorite color but somehow the flowers and color attracted her to it.

Going onto her knees she stood on the edge of the display. Her fingers delicately rubbed over the small petals smiling.

"They are being wasted by staying here, I'll bring some back to ojii-san" Snapping the stem of a couple of them, Mikan looked around. It was quiet. No animals were heard. Nothing. Standing back up, she took a step forward and made her way through the flowers. She stopped at the middle of the field and looked around again. She felt something. A presence that made her cautious. Instinctively she reached for her back but alas her bow or arrows weren't there. Groaning, Mikan took another step forward gazing to a large thicket of thorns with white roses on it.

"Wow... this place is full of surprises." Suddenly she felt a burst of heat on the back of her neck but to her surprise it disappeared before she could react. Mikan stepped back from the rose bush quick holding her chest gasping at the sudden occurrence.

"What was that?" Something snapped behind her making her spin around fast. What she saw were three people standing there and her breath caught in her throat. They all looked about her age, two boys and one girl: the blonde shorter boy stared at her with a concerned expression while the tall boy and girl with black hair stared at her expressionless. Mikan, stepped back against a tree dropping the plucked flowers at her feet. Her eyes widened when one took a step forward.

"Can you see us?" The girl spoke taking another step toward the cornered girl. Mikan didn't know if she should answer them or not. Before thinking about the results, she nodded. Her eyes averted to the right. If she made a run for it then she could probably escape.

"Of course I can see you. It's not like I can see ghosts..." The girl gulped taking a small step to the right. The tall black hair boy gazed at her with crimson eyes and her heart dropped. He was gorgeous. She's never met a boy about her age before and he, to her, was one of the most beautiful people she has ever seen. Entranced by him, the strange girl took the chance to make her way to Mikan.

"How unusual, how can a_ normal_ girl see us, block Hyuuga's flame, and pass through the barrier one our Alice stones put up? Even if you are a _user_ you shouldn't have stopped being electrified and burned." Snapping from the boy's gaze Mikan realized the girl now stood in front of her. She wore a short violet kimono with a pair of white pants that clung to her legs that complimented her white skin and amethyst eyes.

"I-I have no idea what you are talking about. Can I please leave, my grandfather is expecting me home soon." Instead of listening for an answer she took this chance to run. Kicking off her wooden clogs she sprinted to the tree behind the boys before they could react. Jumping over the roots she ran to the well and grabbed the bucket continuing to run without stopping.

_**Who were they?**_

The three strangers just stood there dumbfounded at how fast that girl could run. The girl said "This was an interesting patrol discovery. Who knew patrolling could be like this?" Pulling out a small microphone from her collar, she clicked a small button and began to speak.

"Sensei, can you hear me?"

"_Loud and clear, you know I still can't get used to this thing that Noda-sensei brought back from the future_" a high pitched voice answered through the speakers draped around her shoulders now. "_So how is your first time on patrol?_"

"Unusual." This time the blonde spoke. "A girl managed to walk through the barrier without being electrified. When Natsume tried to scare her by burning her hair it vanished before it could even hit her." Silence came from the other end of the speaker.

_"Do you three mind doing something very important?_" The boy named Natsume rose a brow looking at his best friend beside him, who shrugged. The girl took a second before replying.

"What is it?" she questioned. A sigh escaped from the other end.

"_Find her and ask her if her name is Mikan. If so... inform me immediately. That's all._" The line went dead and the three just stood there thinking while looking at each other. The blonde looked at the wooden clogs that were left by the girl and walked over to it. Whistling, a fox crept out of the woods and came at him. He held out the shoes and told the fox to smell them. Sniffing it quick, it didn't take even a second before the fox sprinted off past the Kobushi Magnolia.

"That weird Alice comes in handy, Ruka." Natsume complemented walking off following the fox. Ruka growled lightly and flushed from embarrassment.

"L-let's go Imai-san" He stalked off with the girl behind him, nonchalantly following the two boys.

Mikan ran to the house breathing heavily throwing the bucket down against the house and entering the house. No one was in there. Immediately she looked at the bed and didn't see her grandpa. To the left on the table was a note. She walked to it and scanned the text.

'Mikan - Gone to Central. Something important came up at the office. - Grandpa' Mikan sighed. Her grandfather should have informed her about the doctor's office. He was a herbal doctor and he was an expert in his field. If anybody from the towns needed someone to teach them about herbs, her grandfather was the one to send for. She had also learned how to choose medicinal herbs and how to create medicine for wounds. Of course she wasn't the best but she could heal herself from a serious injury with her medicine in less than a week.

Sighing in relief she walked back outside and stared down at the lake a thought crossed her mind. "It's still rather warm outside, I'll go take a bath and cool my head off." Walking down the sloped hill she casually stepped into the water slipping off her kimono with ease and the bandages that covered her chest. Immediately she sunk into the water letting her hair loose, clinging against her now wet skin.

"This feels so good..." Mikan looked up at the sky and started to sing a song her mother sang to her when she was younger.

_**Daijoubu itsumo**_

_**Chanto waratteru yo**_

_**Demo dare to itemo**_

_**Nani ka tarinai**_

She loved the melody of the song, her mother sang it to her before she fell asleep. Demanding it be sung, her mother probably wore herself singing the song to her.

_**Ima anata ga koko ni**_

_**Kuruwakenai no ni**_

_**Aketa mado kara**_

_**Mieta mangetsu**_

From the outskirts of the forest the three appeared with a look of exhaustion shown on their faces. This ten minute walk was too much for them, the fox was good at navigating but all the obstacles they came in contact made it a little difficult for them.

"Damn this girl, why does she live in the middle of nowhere?" Natsume cursed as he made his way to the clearing staring at the house. Ruka's eyes widened staring at it.

"That's a sakura tree! I've never seen one up close before." He smiled making his way next to his friend. The girl, Hotaru, properly introduced Imai, looked at the house.

"Do you hear something?" the girl walked to the house with the two boys following. They first scouted the house concluding no one was in there and then walked to the back of the house. Hotaru paused holding out her arm out to block the boys from proceeding.

"What's wrong-" She shushed them before taking another step.

_**Suzumushi no koe ga sabishi sa sasou kara**_

_**Osaeta kimochi**_

_**Mata sawagi dasu**_

_**Anata ni aitakute**_

_**Kurushiku naru yoru wa**_

_**Harisake sou da yo**_

_**Dare ka wo omoutte**_

_**Konna kimochi nanda**_

_**Soba ni ite hoshii**_

Her voice was crystal clear, not even a hint of her childishness was heard as she sang to no one. Natsume stared at Mikan when she rose from the water facing away from him. Only her long hair and bare back was viewing to them, her arms raised as she brushed her fingers through her hair.

_**Anata hodo suki ni**_

_**Nareta hito wa inai no**_

_**Donna mirai da to shitemo**_

_**Anata wa watashi no**_

_**Unmei no hito**_

"Oi, wait." Ruka whispered watching his friend slowly creep to the girl. Hotaru was somewhat surprised by the man's actions. He never became so... interested to even consider getting close to a stranger. Especially a country bumpkin who lived in the most barren place of the valley. No one even knew this place existed!

Mikan felt eyes staring at her back and by looking over her shoulder, her face became extremely red at the sight of the stranger from earlier standing there at the bank of the lake staring at her with his mysterious eyes. Ducking into the water quick, Mikan turned her full body to him now facing him.

"W-Why'd you follow me?! Hentai!" She yelled crouching lower the water covering her mouth but her nose was still out of the water. Her eyes narrowed and the blush was still apparent. Natsume only shrugged.

"Do you live here alone?" he asked looking at her clothes on the ground next to his feet. Raising her head up she spoke.

"No, I live with my grandfather and he should be back any second so I suggest you leave!" Mikan stuck her tongue out at him. Natsume merely made a clicking noise turning his head to the side.

"Mikan, huh?" She froze at the mention her name Mikan stared at him in disbelief. How did he know her name? They just met not more than less than a hour ago. The girl glanced at her clothes next to the boys feet, cringing. She would have to do two things: ask him to give her the clothes or she would have to get out in front of him naked and get it. She liked the first idea but by the way he acted to her, she concluded he was an ignorant hentai jerk!

"So? You know my name, how'd you figure it out?" Not caring too much about it, she stood up casually, her arms covering her chest as she reached for her bandages first, turned around, and started wrapping her chest. Natsume watched her wrap her chest. His one thought was why would she do that? She doesn't have to hide her gender nor was she a hunter. He could tell by looking at her hands that she only did archery.

"None of your business." Looking back up he spotted Hotaru and Ruka staring at him, the blonde panicking and blushing while the female held a device in her hand. He sighed. That girl was obsessed with the future's contrampments and she was one of the only people who knew how to use them. By using their times products she can create anything resembling the future. That was her special power and it came to use when enemies from the organization were attacking. Ever since the three joined the 'academy' last year, nothing serious has happened except the red alert on a woman named Yuka. Narumi knew the woman close to twenty years ago. Everyone of the 'academy' knew of the story with Yuka and her supervisor Yukihara Izumi eloping, the supervisor was killed by a suspicious staff member named Rei and the woman disappeared without a trace. Last year they located the woman and she was located near the area of woods near Mikan's house. No one knew why so the posts switch according to the level of endangerment. Right now they were in white, which meant the neutral level. But now...

Natsume turned back around to see the girl slip on her short kimono and adjusted to collar. He let a small smirk pass on his face.

**_How interesting._**

"A-Anyway, please leave, you're invading personal privacy along with your two friends near my house." Her eyes darted to Hotaru and Ruka.

"We got what we needed so we'll leave. But," Natsume stepped up to her and stared down at her small figure, his hand unconsciously rose to her chin and rose it up so they were looking at one another. "I think I'll see you again. Besides, you're too interesting to just let go." Mikan locked gazes with him once more as they stared at one another.

Back near the house, Hotaru angled the camera and zoomed into the two taking a picture quick. She nodded in approval and slipped it into her pouch she kept on her thigh. Pulling out the microphone she signaled her supervisor again.

"Narumi-sensei, it is confirmed that the girl's name is Mikan." she spoke. Static was heard on the other end then suddenly a voice spoke.

"_Red alert, _that_ person is near there. Bring Mikan here now!_" Before the two could react, they felt a force beside them zoom past them and down to where Mikan and Natsume stood.

"Watch out!" Ruka yelled. Mikan couldn't react fast enough but she was pushed out of the way by the boy who fell back from the force that landed in between them. He groaned sitting up. Glaring up, he saw a woman with a half mask on pointing a sword at him. Her lips thinned to a line while staring at him.

Mikan pushed herself off the ground trying to regain her balance. Successful, she ran as fast as she could to the hut sprinting past the two 'students' and grabbed a longbow and quiver full of arrows. Angling her left hand she pointed her fingers, setting it in the pocket and relaxed her hand preparing to slip an arrow through. Swiftly pulling out her broadhead arrow, she pulled back and aimed at the assailant her stance steady.

"Drop the sword." Natsume glanced at the girl with a surprised expression as the person did so. The person appeared to be a woman with silky brown hair wearing a black, knee length furisode kimono. She rose her head to look at the girl, a small smile passed on her face.

"It's time to move again Mikan. They found you..." Sheathing the sword she walked over to Mikan who at the moment was hesitant to shoot. The girl had a bead of sweat fall down from her forehead extracting the arrow when the woman ended up in front of her. The woman, smiling, touched the girl's head and ruffled it a little. "You've grown big."

"Okaa-san..." Mikan mumbled under her breath disbelievingly. The fox from earlier ravishingly bit the woman's arm digging it's fangs into her skin. Wincing, she threw her arm back flinging the animal hard to the ground, it yelping in pain with the contact. Mikan's eyes widened running to the fox and bending down next to it.

"Just leave it! I got to get you out of here!" A large fireball the size of one's face directed its path to the masked woman, her dodging swiftly to the left and rolling on the ground. She stared at Natsume form multiple ones in his palms as he now stood in front of Mikan. Hotaru and Ruka came up beside him, Hotaru with a constructed rifle and Ruka with bees swarming as they glared at her.

"I've contacted sensei, he'll be here soon." Hotaru said glancing back at the girl on the ground checking the fox's back lifting it up so she could inspect him.

"Don't move Yuka." the bees now swarmed to behind Yuka to block any means of escaping. Yuka smirked unsheathing her sword once again.

"Can I not see my daughter. The academy does not have the power to stop me from seeing her and you are not going to take her to that murderous place."

Mikan stared at the people in front of her with a scared expression mixed with confusion. She held her breath now staring at Natsume. Then to her mother.

**_What is going on?!_**


End file.
